The story of my family
by Achillos
Summary: A different reason why Reed had to go to Easton and how she meets some falily members she did not know she had


**Disclaimer: I do not own the private series, Kate Brian does!!**

**The story of my family**

**New school **

I'm sitting in a taxi on the way to Easton Academy, which will be my future school and thinking about the fate, which has led me to start at the school. It is a school for the rich and noble, such people as my mother has always warned me against, but it is also one of the best schools in the country..

3 weeks ago It was just me (my name is Reed Brennan) an ordinary girl who lived in Croton, Pennsylvania.

I had a mother and a father. But during the Christmas holidays this was totally changed. My mom and dad were going to a dinner in the city's Business Council on Saturday evening. would not, so I was allowed to stay overnight with my friend Julia and her parents.

We were awakened early Sunday morning by 2 police officers, who would talk to me. My mother and father had been involved in a traffic accident. My mother had been killed, and my father was in a coma.

We went to the hospital to see my father, but after a short time I could not bear to be there anymore, so we went back to Julia's house, where we decided that I should stay and live with them so far.

Tuesday came a social worker and a lawyer and they would talk to me about my future. It turned out that the lawyer was my mother's and father's lawyer. They had made a will about who should be my guardian if they died, but now that my dad was not dead, so they did not know if the will was valid, therefore, they had agreed with the court to find a boarding school I could be at in the spring semester, so the court could get the time to find out what should happen to me. I had been allowed to continue living with Julia and her parents to the school began again, if they wanted it. Julia's parents immediately said yes to that I could to stay

After that people from the municipality had gone, the lawyer for my mother and father talk with me. My mother had a life insurance which would pay for that I went to boarding school and I would get a monthly sum of $ 5000.00 to live for, as it is currently not known whether the money should be paid to me or my father . He had made sure, that I going to one of the best boarding schools in the country Easton Academy, why he chose that school I got no explanation for.

After the lawyer had gone I sat and had along talking with Julia and her parents. I surprises me that my mother and father had an attorney to deal with their cases. Julia's parents were just as surprised as me. They had known my parents for many years and my parents had never talked about that they had a lawyer.

The taxi pulled up in front of the main building of the school. I had been told that I should contact the school office when I arrived at school and then she school would take care of my from there.

I went into the main building where there was a counter. I waited at the counter for a secretary to come and asked, what I wanted.

I told my name and that I was a new student who should start at school. When she heard my name she asked me to wait a moment while she got hold of the Principal Cromwell.

I was shown into the headmaster's office. He told me that I had only been admitted because I had such good grades and because the lawyer had put great pressure on him to get me into the school. I could feel from the way he talked to me about school and that he believed that I did not belonged at the school.

After his speech about the greatness of the school and what was expected of the students, he told me that I should share a room with a scholarship student. Again it seemed as if he did not like the school should have scholarship students.

The secretary gave me my schedule and other papers relating to school, then she showed me over to the building, where the room I should live in was.

**My roommate **

As the door opened I could see into a room that resembled the college rooms, which I had imagined them. There was another girl in the room.

The secretary said that it was my roommate Sarah Williason. She sat at a desk and had turned so I could see her. She had dark blond hair and was very pretty in a natural way.

The secretary said to Sarah: "This is your roommate, her name is Reed Brennan, will you please tell her how things are done here on the school and help her to settle in."

Sarah replied: "Yes."

The secretary turned to me: "So I leave you in Sarah's care." After that she went.

There was a moment of silence, after which Sarah stand up and came over to me while she smiled: "Welcome, I will help you the best I can and I am also pleased to have got a roommate." Sarah took my only suitcase and put it on one of the beds, she turned to me and said: "This is your bed, our room is not the greatest but there is everything we need."

I stood still in the said: "Come, shall I help you unpack?"

I felt like a lost child, because it just stroke me that this was real.

Sarah could see at me that something was wrong and came over and took my hand and led me over to the bed. She made sure that I sat. Derefter spurgte hun mig: "Vil du tale om det?" Then she asked me: "Will you talk about it?"

I looked at her and said, "Yes, but I'll just spend a little time to gather myself, we can unpack first?"

Sarah replied: "Sure."

We stood up and got my stuff packed out and put into the closet which was mine.

When we were finished it was time for dinner. Sarah show me over to the school cafeteria. It was substantially nicer, than the one I was use to from the high school I had attended.

Sarah could feel on me that I was not prepared to talk so much. Then she told me how the cafeteria worked. When we had got our food we sat to a table with other second-year students.

Sarah introduced me to the other who was Constance, Missy, Lorna, Diana and Kiki.

Constance asked, "Where are you from?"

I looked up from my food and said: "Croton Pennsylvania"

Constance asked: "Why have you chosen to go to Easton?"

I got a little shock at the questions, but could well understand that she was curious to get to know anything about the new student, but I did not want to give the whole story for everyone, so I chose to answer vaguely, "It is something that my parents want. "

Missy looked at me: "Once more a scholarship student, the school here will soon be a help organization."

I looked over at Sarah and said: "I'm tired after a long day, so I think I'll go back to the room."

Sarah looked at me, it was as if she could see my pain and said: "I'm done too, so I can go with you."

We walked in silence back to our room. When we got back to the room I let myself fall down on my bed and began to cry. Sarah came to me and hold on to me while she let his hand stroke my back. After 10 minutes I fell broadly calm and said: "I have probably better tell you my story , so you can understand, why I reacted as I do."

I told her about my parents' accident and how I had ended up in Easton. I also asked Sarah not to tell it to the others, because I did not want to speak with too many of what had happened.

After Sarah had heard the story, she sat with a shocked expression on his face: "I think I would have gone completely crazy if it had happened to me." "Now I know all about you, so I want to tell you my story, so you can understand why some treats me like they do. "

I looked at Sarah, "What do you mean?"

Sarah smiled, "Wait till I have finished so you can ask all the questions you want. I am a scholarship student , Easton would like to have a few scholarship students to demonstrate how good they are, but the students usually apply for admission do not have the money the other students have, so it is not easy to be a scholarship student. Many of the other student look down on one because you do not belong among the rich and famous. I do not have so many person on the school, I would call friends here, most of our class accept me but they do not want to be too much with me. There are 2 reasons for it and that is, I do not have the money to do many of the things what they do and that they do not believe that scholarship students should be at school. But it also has its advantages I have plenty of time to do my homework, so I get really good grades. "

I looked at Sarah: "In all the time I can remember, my mother warned against the rich because they do not have human emotions, and from what I can hear from you it's true. I hope that we will get very good time together. It'll prove that will I get the same treatment as you because I'm not rich and in a way, I also scholarship student. "

**Students at Easton **

Next morning I was a little confuse when I woke up, where was I? Little by little, I woke up completely and remember where I was.

Sarah was awake and was taking a bath. When she came out of the shower, I went in the bathroom. Without agreement about it both had Sarah and I dressed in plain jeans and T-shirt.

Sarah smiled and said: "You will see that we wear significantly different cloths from most others here. Let us go over and get something to eat."

While we stood in line for breakfast food, I look around at the other students. Most of them were dressed in fashion clothes. We took our breakfast and walked to our table. Almost all sat together with their classmates, the same did Sarah and I, the talk went well, but ou could immediately see that there were cliques.

When we had sat a little, there came a group of girls in, in one way or another you could instantly tell that something was different from them and then the rest of the girls at the school.

Who is it?" I asked Sarah.

She looked up and looked at the group of girls I looked on: "It are the Billings girls, it is the group who leader for Billings. This is Noelle, Arianne, Kiran and Taylor. "

What's special about them?" I asked.

Sarah whispered: "I'll tell you when we are in our room. It is not wise to talk about them in public. "

Just after the girl group, a group of boys came and sat with the girls.

The actual school day went smoothly, I had no problems to follow the classes, in most subjects my old school match Easton.

Sarah and I had done the homework and ate dinner, I could not wait any longer. "You promised me to tell about Billings girls."

Sarah got a little cold facial expression, she sighed and said, "Yes, I have. Made yourself confortable because it is a long story. "

The Sarah began to tell: "Billings is elite building for Easton, it is where the students who are wealthy and wise will live when they begin their 3rd år. year. Are you first accepted in and stay in Billings the whole world is open to you. Those who have lived in Billings always get into the university they wish to enter and they always get top position in the area they have chosen to work with. Noelle is the leader of the Billings girls and 3 others are her closest friends. That group decide everything that happens on and with Billings. Just be aware that you must carry a entrance ritual if you get invited to stay in Billings, according to what the rumours say, you are bullied and harassed in the beginning from the other Billings girls, so they can see that you have the correct character to be in Billings. If you get on bad terms with Billings girls, they can make your time to Easton to hell. "

I shrugged my shoulders: "Throughout my life, my mother asked my to avoid the arrogant rich girls and it sounds like Billings girls are like that kind. Men hvem var de drenge som kom efter dem?" But who were the boys what came after them? "

Sarah smiled, "What! have you already found a possible boyfriend? "

I laughed: "No, but they seems to a part of the Billings girls."

Sarah replied: "That was Dash who are Noelles boyfriend, the others are Tray, Gage and Josh. It is a group of boys who stick together. There was one guy who was not there, it was Thomas. From what the rumours say he is the local drug dealer. "

I thought about what Sarah had told me and decided that I probably should keep me away from the group because they could cause me serious problems if they decided it.

**Back to normal**

Sarah and I had no trouble keeping up with the teaching, we were invited to many of the social thing, as most other students did, but that was something we could overlook. So we had lot of time to do the homework and get know each other. Some students in our class had a normal behaviour against us, such as Constance, but there were also individual as Missy, who was directly vicious and missed no chance to tell us, that we did not belonged to Easton and it was only by the charity from the other students' side, we were allowed to go to school.

One day after lunch I was on my way over to the yard, a boy came up to me and said, "Hey, new girl, you seem to do well on the school now."

I turned and saw that it was Thomas: "Hey, what do you want?"

Thomas replied: "I've seen you, you seem to be one of the few who seem to be normal in this place. I just want to warn you against becoming like all the others here on the spot "

I looked at him: "What do you think?"

"You will see that either they tries to get you into one of the groups or they will treat you as a loser."

I smiled rather sheepishly: "And you can help me to avoid it?"

Thomas smiled: "I think I can be good for you."

I shrugged my shoulders: "All my life my mother have warned rich arrogant children and I think that you belong to that group."

Thomas got a surprised look on his face: "Why did your mother warned you against us?"

I replied: "She never told me about her reason for it, but she told me some stories about them and what they had done against people who they thought did not fit in there world. I will not try to get into the kind any group of that kind and risk being slaughtered. "

Even if I will look after you?"

"So far I have enough to do, to take care of myself and get use to my life here on the school."

Thomas smiled: "If you regret so just come to me." Then he went.

When we sat and ate in the cafeteria I spent much time look at the other students. When there was something I was surprised about. I talked to Sarah about it when we were in our own room. There was no doubt that most of what happened at the school focused about the Billing girls and their group, but there were 2 other students who caught my interest, a girl who was a first-year student. It seemed like both schools teachers and the Billings students were very interested in her and often contacted her. Jeg spekulerede på hvorfor. I wondered why. The second one was one of the boys from the Billings Group, Josh. Det var en fyr man godt kunne blive forelsket i. It was a guy who was perfectly to falling in love with.

**Jill von der Nacht **

In the evening when Sarah and I had finished our homework and sat in our room, I asked her what she know about the girl that had caught my interest.

Sarah said: "I only know the story from the rumours which have been told around on the school, but I have heard some and piece together the story I can tell you it."

Her name is Jill von der Nacht, her family is believed to be one of the richest in the entire United States. The children in the family has always been at Easton, but when Jill's father and his sister went here, something happened. The sister was invited to live in Billings, but she would not accept the bullying and humiliation which was going on for the students, who want to live in Billings, so one evening she packed her things and went she came home the parents were out travelling, but there were so many servants in the house so she just stayed there. As Easton and Billings discovered that she was gone and they did not know where she was, they have to contact the parents and it became a major scandal for the school and Billings, but the result was that she never returned to Easton. When Jill's older sister reached the age where she could begin to Easton, she did not but went to a school in Switzerland. As Easton found out about it, they spent a lot of effort to get her to go to school but she never came. Therefore took Easton contacted Jill's mother and father to ensure that Jill went to go to Easton. Easton was simply afraid of losing the status of the rich and famous favourite school. Billings is afraid she will not want to be included in Billings. If she says no to it, that could mean that Billings loses status as the best college in Easton. That is why she gets the attention from the school and Billings as she does. To her defence, I would say that what I know of her, she is perfectly normal and sweet. She is one of those who have treated me as though I am a normal student and human being. "

Josh is a part of the Billings girls' team, but I can not figure out how much he has to do with them. It seems as if he only is around them because his friends are with them. He shares the room with Thomas. "

Some days later, when Sarah and I sat in the cafeteria and ate, Jill came to our table.

She said: "I noticed that you've looking at me, so I would like if I could sit here so we could talk."

I sat with mouth open and completely forgot to answer, but Sarah could be behaving normally and said, "You're welcome." And pushed to me so that I would behave normally myself.

Jill sat next to Sarah above me. "Why have you been looked at me like that?"

"I wondered why the teachers and Billings were so aware of you."

"You know it now?"

I blushed and looked at Sarah. Sarah also blushed and looked down at her plate.

Jill smiled rather sheepishly: "I understand that you have been talking about me."

I replied, still blushing, "Yes, but that was only because I like the most people is curious."

Jill looked me straight in the eye: "Yes, and therefore I would like to know a little about you. You have come as a new student here in the middle of the school year. How are you? "

I replied: "If we have to be very personal, I would rather not have that we talk about it here. Can we meet somewhere else?"

Jill asked, "Is it okay if we talk about it in your room?"

Sarah and I answered both at once: "Yes." Then came the three of us to laugh.

The rest of the time at the table we sat and chatted about general things.

That evening Jill came to us I our room.

Jill asked: "What was the reason that forced you to change schools mid in the academic year?"

I look down a little, but then looked up: "It is a sad story and I ask you to bear with me if I can not implement it. My mom and dad were in a car accident during the Christmas holidays. My mother died and my father in a coma. Since no one could figure out whether I should have a guardian or not, and who it should be, so it was determined that it was the best thing, that I went to a boarding school, while the court figured out what to do about me."

Jill looked quite embarrassed, after I had told my story.

She said: "I regret your loss, will you talk more about it?"

.I smiled weakly: "There are not many students, who have been interested in me, I believe that most of other students think I'm a scholarship student and therefore avoid me like they avoid Sarah. But I would go further. "

Jill asked, "Have you no family that you could live with?"

I replied: "I know that I do not have anyone on my father's side, they are all dead, but on my mother's side I do not know. My mother would never talk about her family, I do not know if she was in a quarrel with them, or there is another reason why we had no contact with them, or if they are dead. "

Jill had a lot of questions for Sarah and I, about how it was going to a school when you did not belong to the elite circle who used to go to that school and where there families had been going for generations.

Sarah and I talked about our experiences at the school.

Eventually, I could not restrain myself. "Can I have your story?"

Jill laughed: "What have you been told until now?"

I told Jill what Sarah had told me.

Jill smiled: "It is largely correct, there is one thing you has to understand, that is why my family reacted as it did. My father's sister wanted after her experiences here at the school not to have anything to do with rich people and therefore left her family and did not want to have any contact with it. Easton virtually besieged my parents to convince them that I should come here and go to school so they could prove that it was just one flop and not the school's general attitude. My big sister chose a school in Switzerland because her best friend dreamed to go to a school there and my sister did not have any special requests about which school she was on. I chose to come here because I did not know the other schools not because Easton and Billings want it. But they seem to have it as their task to my stay here as comfortable as possible. "

Sarah then told his story about how she was super clever and there for was encouraged to seek a scholarship and that she had gotten it. But she did not think that the schools and other students had accept her. It seemed that the rich students could not accept other than their own kind.

When we were finished talking and Jill had to return to his own room, we agreed that we would continue to talk together and hopefully over time become friends. Jill thought that she had more in common with us than she had with so many of the other students.

**Josh Hollies **

The other person was Josh Hollies. I watched him from afar. I thought that he looked so cute. I'd like to get to know him, but I did not know how. He was mostly with his friends and I did not feel like they should know anything about my interest in him. Moreover, he belonged to the wealthy, so what was the possibility that there could be anything between him and me, and that he was interested in me. The only thing what spoke for it was that he seemed more adult and subdued than the others. Men jeg har da lov at drømme. But I was allowed to have that dream.

I talked so much about him that Sarah began to tease me kindly as the friend she was.

**The ****Billings**** girls' interest **

One day I was coming down to breakfast without Sarah, I had just enter the cafeteria, before Arianne came over to me and said: "We want you to come over and eat breakfast with us."

I looked at her and replied: "I'm just waiting for Sarah comes, then we come to you."

Arianne looked at me like I was crazy: "The invitation was only for you."

Now I could feel the anger began inside me. I would not betray my friend and I could suddenly understand my mother's reluctant against rich girls, so I replied: "If my friend is not good enough to sit with you, I am not."

Arianne looked at me like I was mad, and then went to their table and sat down. I could see that they talked seriously together. When they had talked together a little while, Noelle stood up and came up to me.

As she stood in front of me she said: "You do not know what the chance it is you get when we invite you over to our table. It is a chance you should not say no to, if you know what is best for yourself. "

I looked angrily at her and said: "My mother has always warned me against your kind and I can now see why. I can not see what interest you may have in me. "

We've noticed you and think you have the opportunity to be admitted to the Billings and then we will like to know from where you know Jill. If you get into Billings are all options open to you, you know it. "

I replied: "I'm not sure I want to pay the price for entering the Billings. I would never abandon my friendship with Sarah. She and Jill are some of the few people who have treated me properly in the time I've been for Jill so I can only say just ask her if she wants to talk about how we have learned to know each other. "

Noelle replied icy: "Do not think that we will not do always get to know that we want. "

Now Sarah came to the table, she looked wonderingly at me.

I smiled at her, "The Billings girls want to know something about me, but they would not have you came along, so I was forced to choose and I chose you." I can actually see how Noelle cooked, but she said no more, just turned and walked over to their table.

Sarah smiled, happy to me: "Thank you" and then we started our ordinary conversation, as always when we ate.

After lunch, Thomas came up to me, he smiled his crooked smile: "New girl. Are you sure it was wise to talk to the Billings girls that way."

I replied: "I can not see in what may it can hurt me, they have never shown interest in me. But because I started to talk with Jill, then I suddenly become interesting. You know as well as me that they will never accept me as I am. If I had anything to do with them then I would only get their floor cloth. "

"You do not have great thoughts about yourself or the Billings girls."

"Can you tell me why they want to learn to know me. They have not contacted me, before I started talking to Jill. On the contrary, they have been busy telling everyone that someone like me should not be included in Easton. As seen with my eyes, the only thing they can just used me to is to get them knowledge about Jill. As for myself so I know exactly where I belong and it is with people who accept me as I am and will be with me because the person I am."

Thomas got a startled look on his face: "You are really an interesting girl."

I looked at Thomas, "Try to look at the boys in group you are in. You follow the Billings girls all the time. I've not seen you break out of the pattern, there are here on the place. None other than you from the group has spoken to me.

Later that evening I told Jill what had happened.

She asked: Is it a secret what you have told about yourself? "

I replied: "No, but I'm not interested in that everyone should know. " Those who are interested in on me I'll tell when I think that it is appropriate. I also do not want everyone to show me care because of what happened with my parents. "

**Parents weekend**

Thenext day Thomas came up to me after lunch. "Are you looking forward to the weekend?" He asked.

"What do you think?"

"It's family weekend once a quarter and it is happening this weekend. Did you not know? "

"No, you know very well that I began in the middle of the school year and has only been here a month, so I do not in all things relating to school."

"Pleasures you to see your parents?"

What should I answer? I did not want to tell him what had happened with my parents, so I simply said: "Yes, if they could get, but they do not have opportunity."

I could see at Thomas that he wanted to ask to my parents, but he also knew that he would not get more out of me.

In the evening when I was in my room, I asked Sarah: "What do the students who not receive visits from their parents at parents weekend do?"

I could see Sarah stiffen.

"Excuse me Reed, I had completely forgotten that you knew nothing about parents weekend."

Efter lidt tøven fortsatte hun: "Hvis du har lyst må du godt være sammen med mig og mine forældre."After some hesitation, she continued: "If you feel like you want to, you can be with me and my parents."

I replied, "Thanks, but I think not. It will destroy too much for you. I'll find something to do. "

The next day Jill came to our table and said: "Reed, where is something I want to talk to you about, we can make it this evening?"

I replied: "Yes."

In the evening I went to Jill room. Jill said: "You are not against we go out and while we talk together."

I could hear at Jill that she did not want others to hear what we talked about, so I said: "We can do that."

When we come away from the college said Jill: "I'd like you to meet my parents and my older sister. Hun kommer med." She comes with my parents. "

I looked at Jill, "Do you not think that they just want to be with you and hear about how you have it."

Jill smiled: "They are always interested in who I am friends with and because you are new I have no doubt that they are very interested in knowing more about you."

I thought a little more about what Jill had said: "OK, but I will not be with you all the time it should also be possible for you and your parents to talk privately, is that OK."

I had never seen her smile so broadly.

When I returned to my room, I talked to Sarah about what I had agreed to with Jill.

Sarah smiled and said: "I also want you to meet my parents, do you think that you also can get the time for that."

I smiled at Sarah. "What do you say, that I spend Saturday with Jill and her parents, and Sundays with you and your parents?"

It is an agreement." Sarah said, and gave me a hug.

I could not help thinking how lucky I was to have Sarah and Jill as friends. It could well be that most of the other students did not think, that I should be in school but they did not mean nearly as much for me.

Saturday morning I was jus arrived to eat before Jill came up to me. "My parents are here in an hour. Shall we be together until then? "

We can do that." I also told Jill about the agreement I had made with Sarah.

Jill smiled: "Then you have something to do throughout the weekend."

When the clock approached the time when Jill parents should come, we walked toward the parking lot. An elderly couple and a young woman stepped out of a limousine. Jill waved to them. The young woman looked at Jill and me. I heard her say: "What is Jill doing with her?".

I stopped abruptly touched Jill: "I do not think it's a good idea, that I take the meetings with your family. I do not think it will go well. "

Jill looked very sad to me: "She mean nothing negative with it, come with me."

I replied. "No, Jill, I will not ruin anything between you and your family. This does not mean anything between us. I know that you are difference from most other rich girls." Then I turned and walked back to my college. I heard a man shout:" Wait. ", But I did not want to have anything more to do with rich snobs. Once again, my mother words proved correct.

I kept myself away from all the places where I could meet Jill and her family. There was no reason to Jill or myself to be embarrassment.

Sunday morning I was with Sarah and her parents. It went well, they were a lot like my own parents. It was easy to talk to them and we talked about all sorts of things for school.

I had decided not to say anything to Sarah about how Jill's sister had reacted when she saw Jill and me together. There was no reason to create a bad atmosphere between Jill and Sarah.

**We need to move forward **

When I awoke Monday morning, I knew that Jill and I were forced to talk about what had happened to parents weekend. But it was not a conversation I was looking forward to.

I was not more than just come into the cafeteria before Jill came to me: "We need to talk."

"I know, but I do not think that here and now is the right place and time."

Jill replied: "You're right, we can meet behind my college after 4 pm."

I replied: "Yes."

.I met Jill at 4 pm, I could look at her that she was sorry, so I said to her: "Jill, it was not your fault and you are not responsible for what your sister says."

Jill looked at me, "Reed, you do not understand, Caitlyn did not mean anything negatively with what she said, she was just surprised to see me with another."

I looked Jill in the eye: "Jill, it does not change anything between us but I do not think that it is a good idea, if I am with you when you are with your family. I am afraid that it will destroy the thing for you .

I could see that Jill was just about to cry.

Jill said: I wish you could understand how much my family want you to meet them. "

"Jill, I need to have so much peace and tranquillity in my life as I can get. I have enough problems as it is. If I change my mind about meeting your family I'll tell you. "

Jill said: "I have been given permission so you could come home with me in the spring break, if you wanted to."

I sighed deeply: "Jill, I would so wish, that the thing with your sister had not happened, but it has and there is nothing you and I can do about it. Furthermore, I have to go home and visit my dad in the holidays. "

I could see Jill that she did not feel convinced that it was the right explanation.

In the evening I told Sarah what happened between Jill and me. I told Sarah that I hoped that it would not change anything but I could not promise it.

Sarah looked at me and said, "If you want, you can take home with me in the spring break."

Just as with Jill I said to Sarah: "I have to go home and visit my dad in the holidays, but I appreciate the offer."

Fortunately it turned out that Jill and I were still friends and talking together, but we never mentioned the incident with her sister.

**The ****Spring Ball**

It turned out that Easton always ended with a school dance before every break from school. I did not quite know whether I wanted to go or not.

Sarah got me convinced to go with. I asked Sarah: "What type of clothing must I wear to the dance?"

Sarah laughed: "You will be amazed. Most of the other students come in designer clothes. I can not afford it so I'll just take a nice dress that I like on. "

I did not take with evening wear when I packed. I did not anything about what clothes was necessary at the school, so I did not know that clothes was needed. "

"We'll find a dress that you like and you can just use it the party."

Sarah and I reviewed Sarah's clothes and found some dresses that we like to wear for the dance.

When we came to the ballet, I could see that we have separated us from the rest of the students at the school.

They were all in designer dresses. I would think that some of the dresses cost more than all my clothes together. Moreover, almost all girls amazing jewellery on.

It did not take long time before several of the girls had commented Sarah's and my dress. They would probably show that they seem, that we did not belong at school.

Soon after Jill came over to us. She had the most amazing green dress, she also had a wonderful necklace on. The imagined an owl. I think that I had seen a similar piece of jewellery before, but I could not remember where. After a while I was so curious about it, so I asked Jill where she had got the jewellery from.

Jill said: "It is a family jewel. My family's last name is von der Natch, so for several generations ago the family decided that they would make a necklace for all women in the family and cufflinks for men. Jewellery depicts an owl. The smartest animals which are watchful at night. Mainly you get one of those old jewellery when you are born. If there is no one available, there will be made one for you. Jewellery is protected so that no other than the family could have done a similar piece of jewellery. "

Jill then asked: "Why did you want to know? I have never experienced that before. "

I thought for a moment: "I know it sounds crazy, but I think that I've seen the jewellery before. I just can not remember where. "

Jill smiled at the remark: "So you have been with some of my family before."

Sarah and I sat down at a table where some others from our class sat.

Missy said: "So you want to ingratiate with the rich."

I asked: "What do you mean?"

"You constantly try to rub you in with Jill van der Nacht, as if you do not know, that her family is one of the richest families in the country. If she was your friend, your future was secure and you could need it, I can tell with the dresses you wear to day."

I began to boil inside. I understood better and better my mother's attitude to the rich arrogant girls. Most of them were not to endure. But when you have met Jill, you knew too well that some of them were just as good and sweet as not rich people.

I looked at Sarah, she smiled and shrugged as if she would say, do not take care of it. It is more their problem than it is yours.

I looked around in the hall to see who was there. Suddenly I discovered that Josh stared at me. I bent over to Sarah and whispered: "Is this something I just imagine or Josh is sitting and looking at me?"

Sarah secretly looked at Josh and said. "I think you're right."

I would like to know Josh better, but I had not yet found a way to get in touch with him without it would be too weird. He was always with his friends and that group stuck to the Billings girls and I wanted to keep me away from them.

The music had started and I could at once see how the groups were at the school. Only when the Billings girls had began to dance, others would also dances.

I asked Sarah if she wanted the dancing, because I was sure that nobody else would come and inverters us out to dance. I could see that several of the other students looked at us wrongly.

After Sarah and I had finished dancing we sat at the table again and got something to drink. Soon after Josh came over and asked if I would dance. I would obviously like it. It felt so good to dance with Josh, but I could be that he was a little shy. He did not talk nearly as much as the other boys at school.

I asked him: "Are not you afraid of what others will say to you dancing with one of scholar ship girls."

Josh smiled and said: "I believe that they already consider myself as a little crazy, so they do not take it so hard. But how is it for you to be at a school where most of the students do not think that you belong here? "

"I've gotten used to it, but I still do not understand why so many people have so much against us."

"I think they are afraid that their world will fall if it proved that the world is not like they've been told it is. What if other people are as good and worthy as them are."

Shortly after I stopped dancing with Josh dance was over.

**Spring vacation**

I was packing. On the one hand, I was looking forward to spring break, on the other I was worried how it would be to see my father.

I know that Julia and her parents would do everything, that it should be a good holiday, but it would also be strange to be in the town where our house was without having to live in it.

When I got out of the train Julia and her parents was waiting for me. They gave me a hug and told me welcome home. They asked me how it was to go to Easton.

I did not quite know how I should answer that question. There were some things which I thought was much better than in the local high school, but there were also some things that I would like to be without.

I told as well as I could about life in Easton, about Sarah and Jill and how snobby many of the students were.

The next day we went to the hospital to visit my dad. He was still in a coma and there were no signs of improvement. I had a long conversation with the doctor who treated my father, he told me, how the outlook was for my father. As I understood it the doctors could not tell anything and finally they did not know whether my father would ever get better.

Afte a few days with Julia and her parents, I decided to go home to my parents house and see if there was something there that I would like bring to Easton when I would return. While I was in the house, I looked at many things which was given for me in the past but not other things, I caught sight of our photo albums. I sat and turn page in them. Most of the pictures were from our lives here in there were also some pictures from when my mother and father were young and children. Disse These pictures were suddenly very important for me, so I gave myself time to study them further.

One of the pictures were of my mother when she was my age. It seemed to be a picture from a school dance. My mother was in a very beautiful dress and she had jewellery on. Suddenly I recognized the jewellery my mother was wearing. It was the same as the one Jill had had at the spring ball.

How could it be done? Jill had said that it was a family jewel like no other than her family could have. I sat long, gazing at the image. I was forced to find out whether it was the same jewellery as Jill's, but the only one who could help me was Jill.

I was immediately aware that I could not call Jill and talk to her about it. She would need to be able to see the jewellery from the picture to see if it was the same piece of jewellery. I packed photo album along with the other things that I would have to return to Easton.

When I came back to Julia's parents house, I asked Julia's parents if they knew anything about my parents earliest days in the city. They could tell that my parents had come to town some years before I was born and that they had bought their house almost immediately when they had come to town. There had been some talk of the town about it. But both my mother and my father had found work quickly, so it had passed into oblivion again.

Julias' mother and father had now become curious and asked me why I was interested in it. I told them about how I had sat and looked at old photo albums and seems to be missing some pictures of their families from the time they were young.

The next day I went over to my parents' house. I would try to see if I could find my mother's jewelleries and see if the jewellery were among them. I found my mother's jewellery, but only the jewelleries I knew, but that special piece of jewellery was not there.

The day came when the spring break was over, I was headed back in the hospital to see my father. I sat with him for several hours. It was so strange and sad, I really did not know how I could cope with it. Actually I was glad that I had to return to Easton.

**Questions to Jill**

Throughout the journey back to Easton, I could not help but think of how I should talk to Jill about, that my mother had her family's jewellery, when she was young and how that could had happened.

Sarah could feel on me that something was wrong so she asked me several times what it was.

I said to her: "It is something that happened on my vacation and I have even for myself to find out what it means. I am not telling you something now, not because I do not trust you, but it is so strange that I for the moment not even have to figure it out. Do not be mad at me because I have a secret for you little time yet.

Sarah smiled at me: "I am glad that you will tell me so much. Then I know it is not because something that I've done, there is reason for it. "

If it was something with you so you knew that I would immediately talk to you about it." I laughed back to Sarah.

The next day I thought that classes went on very slowly, when they were over I went over to my room and took the photo album that I had taken from my parents' house. Then I went out to talk to Jill.

I found Jill in her room, her roommate was there too, so I said to Jill: "Can I talk to you?"

Jill replied: "Sure."

"Can we walk?"

I could see Jill facial expression that she found it strange, but she answered anyway: "Yes, we can." Then she said to her roommate: "See you later."

When we came out of the building, we walked a bit of a disturbing silence. I did not know how I should get started. After a while I said to Jill: "When I was home on vacation, I sat and turn leaf in some of my parents' old photo albums. I should like to show you one of the pictures, there is something in the picture which is very strange for me. "

Jill said: "Shall we sit on a bench, then it's probably easier for you to show me the picture."

We sat down and I took the photo album out of my bag. I up on the photo album on the page with the picture and handed it over to Jill.

Jill at the picture, but said nothing.

I was not aware whether she had noticed that my mother had one of her family jewels on, so I said: "Try to see what the girl's has on the neck."

I could see that Jill stared at the picture. But she did not look so shocked, like I had thought she would be.

Jill said nothing. Eventually, I could not keep quiet, so I asked her. "Is not your family jewel."

She stood up and said: "I can not say anything. I must speak to my father first." Then she got up and hurried away from me as if I was suffering from a contagious disease.

Whenshe had come a little away she turned toward me and said, "Excuse me Reed, I'm not angry or mad at you.I just do not know how to respond to you. I need to talk to my dad first before I can give you an explanation." Then she hurried away.

I felt really strange. I did not understand why Jill had reacted as she did. I was really confused.

When I returned to my room, Sarah took one look at me and could see, that I was completely beside myself. She asked me: "What happened?"

I replied: "I just talked to Jill and shown her a picture of my mother. She reacted very strangely. I do not know if I have made her angry. "

Sarah said: "Just take it easy. Did Jill do something special since you believe it."

"No, not really - she just said that she had to speak with her father."

I could see at Sarah that she also found it strange: "It sounds really strange, but it sounds not as if there is something seriously wrong. You must wait to get to the explanation to after she has spoken with her father. "

I find it really difficulty to fall asleep that night.

**The ****meeting with the family van der Nacht**

Next day I was excited to get to talk with Jill. But when I came into the cafeteria to get breakfast, she was not there. I hoped that she would come later, but she did not come for all the time there was breakfast.

Classes was going very slow, but then it was time for lunch and I was hoping to see Jill so I could get to talk to her and stopping strange behaviour between us. But Jill did not come for lunch.

The first hour after lunch was barely started when Ms. Lewis-Hanneman came into our class and said that there was a visit for surprised me who could it be? I packed my things and went with Ms. Lewis-Hanneman.

We went over to Hull hall where I was shown into an office that I did not know to whom it belonged. Ms. Lewis-Hanneman asked me to sit and wait.

I had only just sat down when my mother and father's lawyer came. "Hi, I am glad to see you again. I will start to talk with you and then there are some people, who would like to greet you, it's OK. "

What could I answer? So I said: "It's okay."

"This morning I have been in court to obtain some permits. As you know, your mother and father had made a will about who should be your guardian, if they both died. Today I have been in court and received permission to introduce you to the person and his family whom your mother and father want to be your guardian, if your father dies. The family is looking forward to seeing you. I can tell you that they have known about from the moment you were born. It was your mother's choice, that you should not learn to know them. I will not tell you much more, but let them tell you what they know about why your mother did not want to have a connection with them. Before I get them I would tell you that the man is your mother's brother."

The lawyer stood up, "Now do I get them. I also will come back for you sake, because I am still your guardian." He smiled when he said this, like it was not completely true.

It took not many seconds before the door opened and in came Jill, a man I did not know and the lawyer. Jill rushed to me and threw herself on my neck as she said: "Sorry, sorry, sorry I did not know, what I was allowed to tell you, without destroying something, so I hid myself. I have all the time since you came to the school knew, that you were my cousin, but I was not allowed to say anything because the court had not decided who should be your guardian "

I heard a man clear his throat. Jill got away from me and said: "This is my father Eric von der Nacht."

I listened attentively to what Jill said, but I could not get it to fit with him to be my mother's brother.I must have looked almost sick, because he said: "Reed, please sit down, you look quite pale."

I sat, Jill sat down right beside me. Jill's father sat down opposite me and the lawyer sat at a table a little away from us.

I stammered: You ... you ... you are my mother's brother?" as I looked at Jill's father.

The man smiled: "Yes, so you better can understand a little of this, I'd better explain it as best I can. Your mother has been here at Easton. So when she had finished her education she decided that she would no longer have anything to do with arrogant rich people, so she asked the family not to contact her and she would not contact the family. She wanted to create a life among ordinary people. She would be judged on who she was and her behaviour and not on where she came from. Our mom and dad tried to persuade her to not do that, but there was nothing thy could do. The first time after that we had contact with your mother was when you were born. Through the family's lawyer, we were told that you were born and we had been put as guardian if something happened to your mom and dad. Moreover, informed your mother us that when you were 18 years she would tell you about her family and then let you decide how your relationship with her family should be in the future. Now unfortunately it happened that your mother died and your father ended up in a coma, so the court was not sure whether the will of you was in force or not. So that no one would put it into question whether we should be you guardian or not, we went on with that you got to go here in Easton, until the court had settled the issue. Meanwhile, you found out about the family jewellery. Jill was so afraid to come to destroy our opportunity to be your guardian, that she immediately called me and I phoned immediately forwarded to the lawyer. The lawyer and I decided together that Jill had to leave school last night until we had spoken with the court and got the acceptance to tell you this story. "

While Jill's father had told me I had started to cry. Partly because of that my mother had felt it necessary to leave her family to get a good life, partly because I think that she had done me wrong by keeping me away from her family.

Jill hold on me.

Jill's father said: "Reed, if you want you may call me Eric. Do you have any questions for me / us?"

Everything was slightly blurred for me, "What happens now?"

Eric smiled: "The Court has decided that now it's up to you whether you want to defend the will comes into force."

I did not understand what it meant, so I asked: "What does it mean for me?"

Eric looked up at the lawyer. The lawyer nodded. So said Eric. "It means that if you want to defend the will comes into force, then Jill's mother and I will be your guardian, until either your father wakes from his coma or you are of legal age."

I was completely confused. Was Jill now my sister? Where should I stay?

Eric and the lawyer could see my confusion, so the lawyer said: "I know that it is much to accept at one time, so if you do not feel that you can decide now, just wait and will be given all time you need to take the decision."

I looked at the lawyer, then on to Eric and the a last at Jill. As soon as I saw Jill facial expressions, I knew what I had to choose. Never before have I seen one who wanted something so much. But I also remembered Jill's sister's reaction when she had seen me on the family weekend.

So I said, "How will the rest of our family take it if I become a part of the family?"

As soon as I had said it, I could see at that Jill knew what I was alluding to.

Jill said immediately: "Reed, there is something you've misunderstood regarding my big sister Caitlyn."

I looked at Jill.

Jill continued, "Reed, now listen to me. Caitlyn has nothing against you. what she was afraid of was that I had come to tell you something that could destroy my family's chance to be your guardian. Caitlyn was all the time afraid of, because we went to the same school, that I would do or say something which revealed that you were in family with me and that would be used against my mother and father so they could not be your guardians.

I looked at Jill, and could see it was the truth. I had never asked what Jill's sister had meant by it when it had been said.

I sighed and said, "Sorry, I was just so sure that she was one that those who looked down on us ordinary people. I'll call and try to make it okay with her. "

Eric smiled: "You do not need to call, if you want to meet Caitlyn and my wife, her name is Susan, you can do it now. They are travelled down here with us, so you can meet them now, if you agreed that you would meet them."

I was totally speechless. Jill was really nervous and asked, "Reed, what do you say?"

It got me out of my trance and I replied: "Yes, of course I would like meet them now."

**My New Family**

Eric said: "We have been allowed to take you away from school and into town. They are in a hotel, so I think that we should take in to them. In this way we also avoid, that too many are will get knowledge about this, before we want them to have it. "

The lawyer stood up and walked out of the office. A little later he came back and said, "The headmaster know now, that we are going into the town and the car is outside.

We all stood up and walk out to the waiting limousine. I had never been in a limousine before. It was fantastic to drive in a limousine.

Throughout the ride, I sat and looked out of the window. I had really trouble to understanding what had been told to me.

When the car stopped outside a hotel and we went out of the limousine, Jill over to me, took my hand and said, "Do not be worried, both my mother and Caitlyn have wanted to meet you from the day, they were told, that you were me that you will be nice to Caitlyn, she is so nervous, that you are not going to like her because you heard her outbreak on the parents weekend."

We walk into the hotel and into a suite, the suite also was like nothing I have seen before. It was like entering a very large living room. There was no other, but we were not more than just come in the room, before a door opened and in came a woman. She walked straight toward me. As soon as she reach me she hugged me and whispered: "Where am I glad to see you at last, even if it is under some unfortunate circumstances."

She me for a long time. When she let go of me, I could see a young woman standing at the door. I could recognize her from parents weekend, so I knew it was Jill's sister Caitlyn. When I looked at her, I could see that she was very nervous to meet me. I went over to her and hugged her, while I whispered: "Jill has told why you came to the outbreak. I do now understand, that you did not think anything bad about me with it "

When I let go of Caitlyn, I could see that she had tears in his eyes: "Thank you, I have been so nervous to meet you."

I took Caitlyn's hand and we walked over to the others. Eric asked us to sit down, so we could talk together. The first thing Eric did was to present me to the lawyer. It turned out that he belonged to the law firm who took care of the family van der Nacht cases.

I could not help but think that my mother had not completely abandoned the family.

It is hard to reproduce everything about the conversation that took place. Caitlyn and Jill parents wanted to know everything about me and I wanted to know everything about them, but when the time reach 7pm the lawyer came said that Jill and I should go back to the school.

The whole family went with Jill and me. In the car, we agreed that we would not tell anyone that my guardian relationship had been altered, but it was also decided that we could tell it to Sarah, if she promised not to other person.

**The Prom**

As soon as I entered the mine and Sarah's room, Sarah asked me: "Where have you been and why did you skipped some of the classes?"

I looked at Sarah and smiled: "I'll tell you everything, but prepare yourself for the most incredible story you can imagine, but first you must promise me that you will not tell it to others before you are allowed."

Sarah asked: "Even not to Jill?"

I could not help but laugh: "Jill is a part of history."

So I told Sarah that my mother was the sister of Jill's father and was the student who had bolted from Easton.

I must be honest it took a long time to get Sarah to understand and believe the story, but eventually she did.

After Sarah asked: "What now?"

I replied: "So far everything continues as before. None at the school know this yet. Only when Jill parents give permission the school get to know."

Jill, Sarah and I had spoken several times about what would happen when the school was told that I was in the family with van der Nacht. One day I was particularly nervous, I asked: "What if they throw me out?"

Jill grinned: "I can promise you, that they will not throw you out, first you are a van der Nacht and secondly by the way they treated your mother, they would never dare to throw you out, if they do that none of family van der Nacht will go to the school anymore. Additionally, you must not forget that there is a school which is perhaps even better one this: Acherton-Pryce Boarding School. So if they throw you out, we are just going into that instead and I can promise you that they will occupy us. They will rejoice to have the family van der Nacht on there school, rather then we are going at Easton."

I look at Sarah. She looked so sad, so I said: "We can not do that, Sarah can not just move to another school."

Jill looked at me confused. "Do not worry. If the time comes and we need to move the school, so we'll just take Sarah with us."

Now Sarah looked really confused: "How can you be sure, that I can get a scholarship to Acherton-Pryce boarding School?"

"I do not know if you can get a scholarship, but I know how I can get you in to the school and it is just to call my dad and tell him, that you shall be come with Reed and I, if we changed schools, so he must just pay for it."

Sarah so completely confused: "Do you think he can?"

Jill looked at Sarah, and I could see, that Jill suddenly realized that Sarah did not know exactly how rich her family was.

Jill smiled at Sarah, "Sarah, I can promise you, that my father will do everything to make Reed and me happy, so if we want you to come with us, then you will come with us."

I could see that Sarah was not convinced, so I bent over to her and whispered: "Van der Nacht is one of the richest families throughout the U.S., so money is not a problem."

Sarah looked at me, suddenly she smiled. At last she was sure she could go with us, if Jill and I left the school. Sarah threw herself towards Jill and me, she had an arm around each of us and hugged us close to her.

The School year drew to a close. 2 weeks before the examinations began as always the school gave a big school dance. Sarah and I used to do nothing particularly out of ourselves for school parties. So most of the other students did not take notice of us about the dance. We usually sat together with our class, and stayed in the cliques, who we were in, in the normal school days.

Approximately one and a half weeks before the dance came into Jill Sarah's and my room. She looked at us and said, "What should you wear to the dance?"

Sarah and I looked confused at Jill, Sarah finally took herself together and asked: "What do you think? We wear some of the dresses, we have here."

Jill was standing with a whimsical smile, "I have an idea. What say you to shock the school? "

I said: "What do you think?

Jill replied: "I will wear my family jewellery. What do you say to wear yours?"

I must have look more than shock because Jill continued: "Your mother's jewellery is at home in my fathers house. You inherit the jewellery now your mother is dead. "

I began to understand where Jill would go: "I do not know if it's such a good idea. Hvad med Sarah?" What about Sarah? "

Jill smiled again: "I know the perfect piece of jewellery as she can get."

I looked at Sarah, "What do you say?"

Sarah looked a little ahead of her before she broke into a devilish grin: "I think we should do it."

Jill began to laugh: "So I know what to do. I will ensure that we all are allowed to go into town and then we go out and buy the most amazing dance dresses we can find. "

Sarah and I looked at each other, I could see at Sarah, that she thought the same thing as me. Where would we be able to afford that from.

Jill must have seen what we thought. Hun kiggede på mig. She looked at me. "Du ved det ikke vel?" "You do not know?"

I said: "What do you mean?"

Jill smiled: "You owns millions"

Sarah and I cried as with one mouth: "What?"

Jill explained: "Your mother has always had her share of family property, although she has not spent by it or would recognize it. That was why she had to tell you about your family relationships when you are 18 years, because then it is yours. So you have plenty of money to buy dresses for. "

I was shocked. Sarah looked just as shocked as I did.

Jill looked at us because we have not said anything for a long time. "What are you saying?"

Sarah and I looked at each other and said: "Let us do it."

2 days later we went on shopping spree. So that no one at school should know of what we would do, first Jill took of from the school in a limousine and 10 minutes later Sarah and I took off in a taxi. We meet just outside Easton where Jill was waiting for us. Sarah and I went over to the limo and went in, then we drove into New York.

Jill knew exactly where we were going.

We stopped at a large shopping mall. Jill knew exactly where we were going. We went to a dress shop.

We agreed that we should first find a dress for Jill. Hun prøvede en stunning silver cut out prom dress. She tried a stunning silver cut out prom dress. It was covering her chest but curved down to her stomach and most of her stomach was showing. It was here covering chest but curved down to her stomach and most of here stomach was showing. It fit her perfectly and her body fit it perfectly. It fit perfectly here and here body fit it perfectly. As soon as she walked out I could tell it was the dress for her. As soon as she walked out I could tell it was the dress for her.

"I love it!" I said."I love it!" I said.

"Me too," Sarah added."Me too," Sarah added.

"Yeah I really like this dress." Jill said."Yeah I really like this dress." Jill said. She went to get back into to her original clothes. She went to get back and change into to her original clothes.

"Ok can I get my dress next?" Sarahr asked."Ok can I get my dress next?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah that works." I said and Jill agreed."Yeah that works." I said and Jill agreed.

"Well I am a sucker for Chanel dresses." Sarah said."Well I am a sucker for Chanel dresses." Sarah said.

Sarah ran to an Chanel section of the store and grabbed a handful of ran to the Chanel section of the store and grabbed a handful of dresses.

Sarah came out in a black dress with white on the chest and black flower designs over came out in a black dress with white on the chest and black flower design over it. It was a black embroidered lace prom dress. It was a black embroidered lace prom dress. It was her dress. It was her dress.

"I do like the dress." Jill said."I do like the dress." Jill said.

"Yeah me too" I said."Yeah me too" I said.

Then it was my it was my turn.

I went into the dressing room and toke a medium blue sparkly skin tight halter jeweled prom dress. It had a slit down the leg and had a jewel belt thing around her waist. The straps were all jewels.I went into the dressing room and took a medium blue sparkly skin tight lag Jewelled prom dress. It had a slit down the leg and had a jewel belt thing around here waist. The straps were all jewels. It had to be the dress. It had to be the dress.

"Yeah you rock that dress." Jill said."Yeah you rock that dress." Jill said.

"Wow you look good." Sarahylor said."Wow you look good." Sarah said.

"I feel it."I can feel it. This is the dress." I said. This is the dress for me." I said.

We went to the checkout and paid.

In the car on the way home to Easton, we agreed that Sarah and I had to leave from the car in the city and take a taxi to school, while Jill should continue in the limo to school and take all the dresses up to her room.

3 in the afternoon on the day of school dance, Jill came up to Sarah's and my room we helped each other to have their hair set. When it was done, Jill took some jewellery boxes forward. She took one and gave it to Sarah as she said: "This is a gift from me and my family because you have been such a good friend to Reed."

Sarah looked quite confused, but she still took the box opened it and gave a gasp from her. She was just about to fall. I grabbed her arm and got her to sit down. Then, I saw into the jewellery box. It was the most amazing jewellery that you could imagined, it look like a butterfly and was made by gold and diamonds. There was also similar earrings.

Sarah sat and was quite pale, finally, she exclaimed: "That I can not accept."

Jill smiled at her: "Sure you can. It would make my family very unhappy if you do not want to receive the jewellery."

One could see at Sarah that she did not know what to do, so I sat down on my knees before her and took her hands in mine. "Sarah, I knew nothing about this, but just as Jill, I want you to take the jewellery because without you, I am not sure, that I had came through the difficult period when I was just starting at the school."

Sarah first looked at me and then Jill, finally she said in tears: "Thank you Jill and remember to say thank you to the rest of your family."

Jill smiled a wry smile to Sarah: "You better be seated because there is more. You must promise us that you will enter the university you prefer without taking money into account. You may consider it, as if you have a stipend from us to read further on. "

I was glad that Sarah sat, because I do not think she could have standing on her legs.

Sarah kept stammering that it was too much, but I could only give Jill right. It was the least thing, we could do for her.

When Sarah was cool down, we were forced to fix her hair and makeup again.

When it was done we took our dresses and jewellery on. We all three look great.

When then time was 7 pm and the ball was about to start, Sarah and I would go, but Jill stopped us: "We have to be some of the last people coming, the Billings girls usually gets there between 30 and 45 minutes late so we have to be 45 minutes late so everybody there will noticed us."

When we came over to the ballroom, we went in with Sarah in the middle. As soon as we entered through the door it was as though all conversation stopped. I think it was because Sarah and I arrived in designer clothes, but I am also sure that the jewellery, we had on made an impression. I was wondering how many would remarked that it was a van der Nacht family jewellery I had on.

We walked to a table where some of Sarah's and my classmates sat. I have never seen so many open mouths. We sat at the table. I could hear the conversation began slowly again at the other tables. I had no doubt about who they were talking about - Sarah and me.

Finally, the other at the table got over the shock and Missy asked: "Where did you get the dresses from?"

I replied with a smile: "Those we have been out to buy."

I could see that Missy and Lorna sat and whispered together, then Missy said, "I can see that you had borrowed jewellery from Jill."

Before I had time to respond, "said Jill:" No, it is their own."

Again there was silence at the table. Soon after Missy got up and went to the Billings girls. She stood and talked with them. We could see that they repeatedly looked toward us.

Shortly afterwards Noelle and Arianne came over to us, they were hardly came over to us before Noelle said: "What is it?"

Just the way she said it made me mad, so I replied: "What do you mean?"

Noelle: "Suddenly scholarship students can afford designer clothes and jewellery."

Now I was angry: "So that is what you think, that is scholarship student like Sarah and me does not suppose wear designer clothes and jewellery?"

Noelle: "No, but you can not afford it."

Jill got up and walked over to Noelle. I could suddenly see, that here was a person who Noelle perhaps feared but at least had respect for.

Jill said: "May I introduce you to my cousin Reed Brennan."

Now it impact of the shock could not be greater. All at the table looked at me.

Noelle said stammering: "Who ... Who is she the daughter of? I know everyone in your family. "

Jill smiled: "You do not I guess. Reed is the daughter of Elizabeth Brennan, formerly known as Elizabeth van der Nacht."

All were too shocked to say anything in the minutes that following. I would say that Noelle stumbled back to Billings table while all my classmates looked at Sarah and me. The questions began to hail down upon me.

I was total confused about all the questions, they came faster than I could answer them, when Thomas came over to our table. He asked if I would dance. Never had I been so relieved when I said yes.

Thomas said: "New girl You and your friends did really made an entrance."

I said: "I do not understand you think. It's only your prejudices about Sarah and me who have made this commotion. If you had spent some time to get to know us you would not have been so surprised. "

Thomas smiled: "I do not think so because if you look at the headmaster, he look like he did knew nothing. Try to see how shocked he looks."

I smiled: "OK, you may be right. But I was also tired about most of the people here on the school considered Sarah and me as second-class people. "

Thomas grinned: "Now I think they regard you as aliens. Is it better? "

I replied: "When the shock has subsided, I hope that they just see us as people."

Thomas shook his head: "I can hear that you're not grown up in the inner circles. You will never be regarded as just a person, now you're one who everyone wants to be friends with."

hen I had finished dancing with Thomas, I went back to the table where Sarah and Jill sat. Now everything was decreased more for calm.

When I had sat and talked a little with the others, Josh came up to me and asked if I would dance. I would be more than happy to do that.

While we danced I looked at his pretty blonde curls. When we had danced a little, he asked: "Was it intentional that you made the entrance you did?"

I smiled a little shy, "I knew that some would be surprised, but I was probably not aware how big the response would be. But why is it only after my entrance to this dancel today you're talking to you me?"

Josh looked quite embarrassed like this: "I did not know, how I should contact you. It has been like for you and Sarah wanted to be yourselves. "

Now it was my turn to look confused: "Everyone has been busy telling us that we did not belong in a fine private school. So we have experienced it as if none other than Jill would have anything to do with us."

Josh smiled: "There you can see how different people see things"

I do not know, how long I danced with Josh, but it was nice and lovely, so I would like to do that the rest of the night. But I also had to return to Sarah and Jill, and not just leave it to them to get all the questions, so I thanked Josh for the dance.

Josh asked if I would going out with him another day. There was nothing I rather would do. So I replied: "Yes."

When I came back to the table, Jill and Sarah sat and talked, I asked: "Was it bad?"

Jill smiled shrewdly: "I've noticed that you have your mind elsewhere, but it has not been so bad for us. But I am sure that you get a lot of explaining to do in the next few days."

Sarah said: "We just told them that we only had known in the last few days, that you and Jill were in the family and that we did not know why the family was separated."

I could see what awaited me ahead. I felt suddenly very tired. "How about we go back to our rooms now. So we do not have too many questions from the others at college now for this night. I promise that I'll try to explain it to our classmates, as well as I can tomorrow. "

We went back to our rooms. Sarah and I switched to nightwear and lay and talked in a long time about the evening's events. I fell asleep with my head full of thoughts about Josh.

**Talk ****with Noelle**

Next morning I woke up only at 11 am o'clock. Sarah was already up. "Good morning sleeping head. Are you ready to meet the world?"

JegI grunted: "Do you think it is that bad?"

Sarah grinned: "I think you're the only ones who everybody are talking about after yesterday."

I began to doubt whether it was a good idea, what we had done. I said, worried: "Sarah, was it the right thing we did?"

Sarah looked at me and could see my doubts: "It should have be done at one time or another. I think it would have given the same shock, regardless of when you had done it. I actually think it is easier for you to get people to believe it now. "

I looked at Sarah and I could see that she was right: "OK, let me have a bath and then let the explanations begin."

When we came into the common room all conversation stopped. Constance came over to us. I could seen at her that she was uncomfortable about the situation. She said: "This is not to be rude, but are you really in families with van der Nacht?"

I replied: "Yes, Jill is my cousin. Her father and my mother were brother and sister. "Fortunately, the news that I was a van der Nacht, was so great that they heard the little was.

Constance asked further: "Why did not you immediately tell it, when you came to school?"

I looked at Constance: "It should not mean anything, who I am in family with, I'm the same person. After my mother married, she last name has been Brennan, and it has always been my last name."

Constance look wound after what I had said, but that did not stop her from asking, "Why did you first started so late in Easton?"

I sighed, now came the hardest part: "My mom and dad was in a traffic accident. My mother died and my father is in a coma, so the court thought, it was best if I got to a boarding school until the court has found out, who should be my guardian. And now I would like to have something to eat. "

Sarah and I went over to Jill room to hear if she wanted to go with us to have something to eat. When Jill was ready we went over to the cafeteria.

The reaction was the same there, as it had been in a common room. All stopped talking and just looking at us. Sarah, Jill and I get in the queue for food. Chose what we wanted to eat and went and sat at our table. Slowly the conversation began again in the cafeteria.

I looked at Jill and Sarah: "Have you any idea how long it will take before things are back to normal?"

JiJill grinned: "What do you think? Things will never be as they were before, now it appeared that you are in families with van der Nacht. "

I looked at Jill, "What do you mean?"

Everyone will see your other and foremost, they will wonder why you not when you started at the school said, that you were in families with van der Nacht, then some will wonder if you might have done to find out how Easton treat not privileged students and, finally, is there some who is afraid that you did it take revenge for your mother. Finally, you should expect that many now want to get to know you and maybe _be_ friends with you. "

I let my head fall down on the table. What was it I had started?

Jill and Sarah could not help but laugh at me.

I grumbled to them: "I just have to keep you two close to me, I will not handle this alone."

I looked at Jill: "How do you cope with it?"

Jill smiled: "I have lived with it my whole life, so I have slowly become accustomed to it. It has been difficult to know who your real friends are. There you will have an advantage. You know it is already."

Jill was right. I already knew who had been natural to me and who would not have anything to do with me. I only thing I missed to find out, was how I would treat them who in the future would treat me differently.

I took a quick decision. Everyone deserves a second chance.

When we got out of the cafeteria Noelle came over to us, "Reed, I can talk with you?"

Both Jill and Sarah gave me a telling glance, but I replied: "Yes you can. Hvor skal vi gå hen?" Where should we go? "

Noelle said: "I want to go to a place, where we can talk undisturbed, so we can go out into the garden and talk if it's OK with you?"

I replied: "We can do that." To Jill and Sarah I said, "See you later. "

Noelle did not said anything. We walked to the garden, where Noelle sat on a bench. She looked up at me.

I sat on the bench too, but with a little distance to Noelle.

Noelle asked: "Is it true that you're the daughter of Elizabeth van der Nacht?"

I looked wonderingly at her: "After what I've been told so, yes."

Noelle looked at me as if she did not quite understand my answer: "What do you know about the story about your mother and Easton / Billings?"

"Only what Jill told me."

"Did your mother not tell you anything."

"No, she has just alerted me to how rich, arrogant young people can behave."

Noelle looked down at the ground: "My mother was the one person, that was primarily responsible for your mother's bullying."

I looked at Noelle, I did not know what to say.

Noelle continued: "I talked to my mom earlier today. She was very surprised to hear that Elizabeth van der Nacht's daughter was at Easton. She would like to speak with your mother and apologize to your mother."

I looked at Noelle and the anger began to spread in my body, "Now your mother would like to apologize to my mother? Do you mother not think that it is a little late? "

Noelle looked down at the ground: "My mother tried to get in touch with your mother when she was young, but your family would not tell my mother where your mother was."

I shook my head: "I would like to tell you what happened. My mother was so upset that she left her family and would not have any contact with them, therefore they could not tell your mother where she was. They did not know it."

Noelle asked: "Would you tell you mother that my mother would like to speak with her?"

I got up: "It's too late that your mom remembers what she has done and that she would like to apologize for it. Hvorfor tror du at jeg er havnet på Easton? Why do you think I have ended up in Easton? My mother is dead. Until the court has decided who should be my guardian, I have to be at a boarding school. "

I started walking back to my college, but I could not help but look back to Noelle, she just sat with a total expression of shocked.

Sarah and Jill sat in the room and waited for me.

At the same time they asked, "What would Noelle?"

I looked at them and smiled, "What? Are you twins now? "

They looked at me: "Just tell us!"

Noelle just wanted to know if it was true that I was the daughter of Elizabeth van der Nacht. When I confirmed it, she would like that I made the contact between her mother and my mother, so Noelle's mother could apologize to my mother for her behaviour to my mother when they went here."

Then there was a period of silence. I said: "I think it is over now with all the issues concerning me and my family."

Jill said: "When Noelle has spoken with the others in Billings, so I think you're right in terms of students, but I think that teachers of Easton is still in shock and trying to figure out what to do."

**Talk with the Headmaster**

The rest of the day went on without any questions from other students, but I could see that they were looking at me in secret and whispered about me.

When we got up Monday morning I hoped it was over now, so we just could have normal classes.

The first lesson was just starting when Ms. Lewis-Hanneman came into our class and said that the headmaster Cromwell want to speak to me.

I could not imagine what it was he would talk to me about. From what I knew, I had not done anything wrong.

I was not more than just come into the office and sat down on the chair he showed me, before he asked: "Why did you not tell that you were the daughter of Elizabeth van der Nacht?"

I could not understand where he would go: "When I was enrolled then I told who was my mother and father."

The headmaster looked at me: "Yes, but you did not tell that your mother was a van der Nacht."

I was getting upset, "I was not asked about it, so how could I know that it was important for you to know that?"

Headmaster: "Now do not be cheeky. You should know that it was important for schools to know that you are a child of one of the families who always send their children here to the school. "

Now I was really angry, "It is you who has done, so that I did not got to know my mother's family, so you should be better know, than I, who I was with family."

When I looked at the headmaster, I could see that he did not know what he should answer to that: "When you have been told that you are family with van der Nacht?"

I replied: "To the Spring dance I saw Jill's family jewel, and remembered that I had seen it before, so when I got home I was looking for where I had seen it before and I found a picture of my mother with a similar piece of jewellery. When I came back to school I talked to Jill and a few days later, my lawyer came and told me about my family connections. "

The headmaster looked at me wondering: "Why did you not just asked your mom?"

Reed: "My mother is dead, that's why I came here to go to school."

I could see that the headmaster was surprised by this message. What had he been told about me?

The headmaster said I could go, so I went back to classes.

**Vacation**

Laterthat day I talked with Sarah and Jill about my meeting with the headmaster.

Sarah asked: "What happens now?"

I shrugged on the shoulders, I did not know.

Jill smiled: "I can promise you that nothing happens. Easton might have treated Reed better if they had knew that she was the daughter of Elizabeth van der Nacht. But they will do nothing they would hate if you left school. They want to make it good again as they failed with regarding your mother .

Sarah and I looked at each other, we did not knew what to say.

Jill continued: "But there is perhaps something else you should think about. I am sure that the Billings house now considering to invite you to live stay with them. "

I was amazed: "How can they think I want that after how they have treated my mother?"

Jill: "I think they will do anything to correct the errors they committed against your mother."

Reed: "Why?"

Jill: "They know that they went over the border with your mother. They know that it was their fault that your mother left Easton and Billings and it was not that there wanted to do with there bullying. They see it all as an admission ceremony. They expect that it was them who at last determined whether a person should be in Billings or not. They were not prepared for that person not wanted to be in Billings, when they have been through the admission ceremony. "

I was silent, what could I say.

Jill said: "They use to abduct the person they believe is worthy to be in Billings."

Reed: "What do you mean?"

Jill: "If you one day come into your room and all your stuff is gone, it's because they've moved them over in Billings, and they want to test whether you are worthy to live in Billings house."

I looked surprised at Jill, "They are not that crazy after what they did to my mother?"

Jill: "I do not know if they think so far, but now you are warned about how they work."

I looked at Sarah, "I will not leave you, if they want me to be in Billings then they have to take you also."

Some days after the exam was over. Sarah and I had done it brilliant. We were number 1 and 2 in our class. Now I could finally start thinking about vacation.

I would start by taking to the Croton to visit my dad, tell Julia and her parents about my mother's family and who now was my guardian. Furthermore, should I pack the things I wanted with my from mother's and father's home. Van der Nacht's had ensured that the house would be maintained.

Then I had promised to visit Sarah and her parents.

Finaly for at for the rest of the holiday I should stay with van der Nacht's and learn my mother's family to know. Jill and Caitlyn had promised me that we could do whatever I wanted. The only thing I really wanted was to get to know them better, they were my family and I had so many years to obtain.

The only slight shadow I could see on the sky was Easton. I had to find out if I want to go back to were some things that was for it (Josh), and some spoke against (what if I was invited to stay in Billings, I could do this to my mother).

**The End**


End file.
